Nearly 2,000 Kent health workers have been attacked by their patients in the last three years, new NHS figures have revealed.

Since 2004, hundreds of nurses, doctors, ambulance workers and support staff have been physically assaulted by the people they are trying to help.

Now the NHS has launched a major advertising campaign, back by numerous public and private organisations, warning the public that anyone who abuses a health professional can be prosecuted.

Richard Hampton, Director of the NHS Security Management Service (NHS SMS), which is running the campaign, said: “Anecdotally, we know those who assault our staff are often drunk or under the influence of drugs.

“This is no defence for such behaviour. The choice is yours – whether you are frustrated, drunk or on drugs, you will be held accountable for your actions. You could end up before the courts or in prison.”

From 2004/05 to 2006/07, there have been a total of 431 attacks on staff working with the Eastern and Coastal Kent PCT – equivalent to 28.2 attacks per 1,000 staff.

Medway and East Kent hospital trusts have endured more than 600 assaults between them, and ambulance staff have suffered 251 attacks, including 81 in the last financial year alone.

National statistics show that there were 55,709 violent attacks on NHS staff in 2006/07 across the country.

The anti-violence campaign, “Your Choice of Treatment”, will be featured throughout the region on roadside billboards, train platforms and pubs and club toilets, and is backed by all local NHS Trusts, Kent County Council, Kent Police, local MPs and Gillingham FC.

Security Manager for South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Trust, Bill Chilcott, said: “We believe our staff should be able to do their job without the threat of being attacked or actually being assaulted, and as such the Trust will do what it can to try and prevent violence against our staff.”

Superintendent Peter Wedlake of the Partnership and Crime Reduction Department at Kent Police said that anyone who commits such a crime will be brought before the courts.

He said: “Although we realise that people are often in stressful situations within hospital environments, this is no excuse or reason to vent their frustration or upset staff who are there to help them.”